Quotes
Dec. 30, 2007
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
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Postgame Quotes<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas 71, Boston 57
December 30, 2007
Kansas Coach Bonnie Henrickson
On the game:
“I thought defensively we responded. We’ve really been after this group about creating offensive opportunities in transition from your defense. Our goal for deflections is 20 per game and we had 28 at the half. I thought our defensive pressure was good. For us to cause 23 turnovers with a team that averages 14 and are top 10 in the country in creating turnovers, I thought it was great pressure and presence on our part and it created opportunities for us.”
On the play of senior Taylor McIntosh:
“We talked about how much perimeter defense she’d end up playing with their post game and Jesyka Burks-Wiley who is a very good post player. I said `You’ve just got to play with some confidence.’ I thought she did that. I thought she flew around and got her hands on everything. There were a couple of possessions where Taylor guarded everybody because the ball got loose or the cutter got loose and Taylor can’t guard everybody. She’s going to have to guard a couple more than just her player. I thought at times we were able to feed off of her energy.”
On freshman Krysten Boogaard in her first career start:
“I like her confidence we just have to get her post strong. When they went big with (Kristen) Folk, there’s a reason they went big, they could match her size. That’s where Krysten has to grow and she will. She has to fake on a catch or she has to fake on a shot. We have confidence in her. She’s going to get better and she’ll learn from that.”
On the return of Danielle McCray:
“It’s about what it feels like in practice. She looked good when she got back in when we were preparing on the the 28th. It’s a positive. I just believe the team has confidence in her. Her style and aggressiveness are contagious and her confidence is contagious. She’s certainly not back to 100 percent, but she plays pretty good even when she’s not 100 percent.”
On maintaining focus after sophomore Sade Morris left with an injury:
“We showed great focus and concentration and that’s where you have to finish the task at hand. When you get a chance to think about it you can. Defensively we knocked down a couple of passes, we got some tough rebounds, and Ivana (Catic) knocks down some free throws. Those are good minutes in a close game down the stretch.”
Senior Forward Taylor McIntosh
On whether or not she felt the team started off a little sluggish after the layover:
“I think we did start off sluggish offensively, but I think our defensive was 100 percent better. It still needs a lot of work, but I think we started off a lot better than we did in the two games played in California.”
On what Danielle’s return means to the team:
“She (Danielle) demands a lot of attention on the offensive end. So when a lot of teams focus their defense on her, it opens it up for other players. Today it just happened to be me. So that is one good thing about having her on our team.”
On what the mentality of the team is:
“Bonnie kind of challenged us because we played probably our worst game of the year right before Christmas. She kind of challenged us to quit playing so soft in the game and let the offense come to us and make our defense the same every game. We are just trying to be physical with them, being there on the help side and not giving them easy buckets.”
Sophomore Guard Danielle McCray
On the accomplishments of the non-conference season heading into Big 12 play:
“Yeah, I think it really has gone as we had hoped it would. We are obviously better than we were last year and I think that is a big accomplishment. We are headed the right way, but I think that we can do a little bit more with the team that we have.”
Describe the team in Xs and Os:
“We have really good ball movement, and knowing where everyone is going to be at and knowing what each other is going to do. We know how to find each other and play together, which comes from playing together and getting a feel for each other.”
On what or who determines what plays are run:
“It depends on what Coach wants to run or who has the hot hand. It also depends on how many times we score on a play or how many times the play doesn’t work. Mostly, it’s the coaches’ decision and how we read things on the floor.”
On if the team is having fun this season:
“Yeah, it’s a lot of fun now. Everyone is more relaxed when playing and is more confident in themselves. No one is really worried about anything. It’s really fun and very relaxing.”
Boston University Quotes
Boston Head Coach Kelly Greenberg
On the game:
“I think it was a good experience for our program. The second half was much better than the first half for us. We did not play our type of basketball in the first half and we had way too many turnovers. In the second half we picked it up. Down the stretch, Kansas’ size really hurt us in rebounding. I thought it was a good game. Kansas is an up-and-coming program. It was a good experience for us to be here.”
Boston Junior Forward Jesyka Burks-Wiley
On her scoring output:
“In the first half, it was hard because I was playing on the perimeter because I figured they were going to double inside. The girls that guarded me were completely committed to guarding me. We made an adjustment where our forwards would alternate on the inside and outside. I thought it caught KU off guard a bit. That helped restore my inside game and helped get the guards open shots.”
On playing close to home:
“This is more than I could have ever asked for. Just to be able to play in front of my family on a legendary court and to play against a spectacular program is awesome. Nothing matches it.
